TiO2 slump hurts results, but prices may stabilize soon

10:13 AM MST | March 1, 2013 | —Lindsay Frost

Oversupply and tepid demand for titanium dioxide (TiO2) has sent prices and profits lower, but analysts expect prices to stabilize in early 2013 as demand improves from the spring building season as well as a recovery in Asian demand, analysts say. Recent price-hike announcements by Huntsman, Kronos, and Cristal appear to be an effort by producers to stabilize the pricing as North American prices are down 21% from peak levels seen in third-quarter 2012, says Deutsche Bank analyst David Begleiter. “We believe the nomination has a low probability of being...